Road safety and school travel: campaigns and resources
For more information or for help and support in setting up any of the resources below please contact Hertfordshire County Council’s Active and Safer Travel Team on 01992 556803 or email activeandsafertravel@hertfordshire.gov.uk
Walk to School Week and Clean Air Day
Hertfordshire’s Walk to School Week in May each year and the annual Clean Air Day in June campaigns have won an award for Excellence in Walking with the national on-line travel plan system, Modeshift STARS:
Modeshift STARS – National Accreditation Scheme
A Walk to School pack will be supplied by the Active and Safer Travel Team and will provide your school with a new virtual walking challenge to encourage active and healthy travel to school. Clean Air Day is a national campaign that we have incorporated within our Walk to School Week and highlights the positive effect we can have on our environment by becoming more active.
Walking buses
A walking bus is a safe and fun way to enable groups of children to walk to school together, accompanied by trained adult volunteers. The bus follows a set route and timetable and children join at `bus stops’ along the way. The Active & Safer Travel Team at Hertfordshire County Council can provide advice and guidance on how to set up and manage a Walking Bus and can assess the walking bus routes too.
Park and stride
Promoting park and stride options to parents and carers is an ideal way of encouraging a healthy and positive approach to active travel which also helps to improve road safety, reduce congestion and pollution around school sites.
Encouraging families to park further away from the school and to walk the remainder of the journey is the principal of parking and striding. The Active & Safer Travel Team at Hertfordshire County Council can provide advice and guidance to schools on how to identify and promote park and stride options.
Parking pledge
Hertfordshire County Council support schools who sign up to its “Parking Promise” scheme. This has been developed to help reduce parking and dangerous and inconsiderate driving at school drop off and pick up times. The scheme involves parents and carers signing up to a ‘Parking Promise’ to remind them that if they do have to drive to school, then to drive and park safely, legally and with consideration.
Please use the `Don’t be a Road Monster’ video link below which can be used in assemblies to start your campaign. Leaflets and car stickers are available on request.
You Tube: Don't be a Road Monster
Active Travel Ambassador Scheme
Primary school pupils in Years 5 and 6 can apply to become a Active Travel Ambassador (ATA) for their school in order to promote sustainable travel and road safety messages to their peers, parents/carers and to their surrounding community.
Once appointed the ATAs focus on issues that are relevant to their school and think of ways to help promote behavioural change. ATAs will have a nominated member of school staff to support them as well as a Hertfordshire County Council Sustainable Travel Officer who will provide ongoing support, ideas and resources.
School crossing patrols
School Crossing Patrols operate on some of the busiest roads in Hertfordshire assisting pedestrians, both children and adults, to safely cross the road on their journey to and from school.
If you would like to enquire about the possibility of having a School Crossing Patrol for your school, then please email the Active & Safer Travel Team at: scp.enquiries@hertfordshire.gov.uk
or telephone 01992 556803 with details of the road you are concerned about. We will then carry out a criteria check to determine if this is something we can help with.
If you are interested in becoming either a permanent, relief or volunteer School Crossing Patrol please visit our website below:
Hertfordshire County Council: School crossing patrols
Celebrating seat belts
For information and guidance on seatbelts please visit the Celebrating Seat Belts webpage.